What’s Your Evidence? Using Data to Support Student Success March 30, 2017 .

What is Student Engagement? What students do – Time and energy devoted to studies and other educationally purposeful activities What institutions do – Using resources and effective educational practices to induce students to do the right things Educationally effective institutions channel student energy toward the right activities Development of Concept of Student Engagement C. Robert Pace (1970s) Pioneer of looking at the entire student experience versus just looking at test scores or grades to assess student learning. Explored students’ academic and social experiences in college – and assessed the quality of effort students put forth in their educational experiences Alexander Astin (Hired by Pace at UCLA in 1980s) Promoted theory of student involvement Amount of learning taking place directly proportional to quantity and quality of energy invested in educational activities Vincent Tinto (Also in the 1980s) Retention model – focus on greater social and academic integration, both formal and informal processes -> greater satisfaction -> more likely to stay Ernest Pascarella & Patrick Terenzini Examined impact of college experience. Arthur Chickering and Gamson (1980s analysis of hundreds of studies over several decades) Good practice in undergraduate education includes: 1) Student-faculty contact, 2) Cooperation among students, 3) Active learning, 4) Prompt feedback, 5) Time on task, 6) High expectations, 7) Respect for diverse talents and ways of learning George Kuh (1990s – idea of student engagement) What students do -- time and energy devoted to educationally purposeful activities What institutions do -- using effective educational practices to induce students to do the right things 2

Seven Principles of Good Practice in Undergraduate Education Student-faculty contact Active learning Prompt feedback Time on task High expectations Experiences with diversity Cooperation among students Chickering, A. W. & Gamson, Z. F. (1987). Seven principles for good practice in undergraduate education. AAHE: Bulletin, 39 (7), 3-7. 3

Goals of NSSE Project Goals of Assessment: Focus conversations on undergraduate quality Enhance institutional practice and improvement initiatives Foster comparative and consortium activity Provide systematic national data on “good educational practices” Goals of Assessment: Accountability Continuous Improvement

NSSE Engagement Indicators Meaningful Academic Engagement Themes Engagement Indicators Higher Order Learning Reflective & Integrative Learning Learning Strategies Quantitative Literacy Academic Challenge Learning with Peers Collaborative Learning Discussions with Diverse Others Experiences with Faculty Student-Faculty Interaction Effective Teaching Practices Student – Faculty Interaction Quality of Interactions Supportive Environment Campus Environment 5

NSSE 2016 Results for Fort Lewis College Overall results compared to peer groups for each Engagement Indicator. Engagement Indicators: Sets of items are grouped into ten Engagement Indicators, which fit within four themes of engagement. At right are summary results for your institution. For details, see your Engagement Indicators report.

NSSE 2016 Results for Fort Lewis College Overall results compared to peer groups for each Engagement Indicator. Engagement Indicators: Sets of items are grouped into ten Engagement Indicators, which fit within four themes of engagement. At right are summary results for your institution. For details, see your Engagement Indicators report.

Item Level Analysis Highest and lowest performing items Hypothesis Comparison to peer groups Level of importance Hypothesis Area of concern Potential actions

Additional Items of Interest Leadership question: have you done or plan to do before you graduate? “Hold a formal leadership role in a student organization or group” Hours spent co-curriculars, working, relaxing… Emphasis attending campus events; events addressing social, political issues Gains in working with others, being active citizen Student demographics Student comments!!! Student demographics: Gender identity Racial-ethnic categories Sexual orientation Disability Housing on/off campus

NSSE Annual Results Findings 2016 Support for Learners 1 in 5 first-years had difficult learning course material and getting help with coursework. Their peers who found it easier to get help spent more time studying and made greater use of effective learning strategies, resulting in higher grades and commitment to staying in school. More engagement in Learning Strategies Ensure students take advantage of support when they need help

NSSE Annual Results Findings 2016 NSSE Experimental Set -Safety & Belonging: About 9 of 10 students felt safe and comfortable being themselves at their institution. However, students with a gender identity other than man or woman, as well those who are African American, Native American, or multiracial, were less likely to feel safe and welcomed.

Investigate Results Further Explore Student Comments Use qualitative methods to make meaning of results Focus groups Adapted cognitive interviewing Address lingering questions from results What do students have in mind when they respond to an item? How do they define terms used in survey items?

Triangulation to Deepen Analysis & Action Multiple data points tell a stronger story Opportunity for outreach to academic departments to partner on campus events or to design major-based involvement opportunities Card swipe data from events +Student activities survey +NSSE results on co-curricular hrs. & leadership by major

Collaboration for Student Success Student affairs professionals are encouraged to take greater ownership for student engagement and heightened expectations for increasing student success But, these objectives can be most effectively addressed by a range of campus stakeholders –administration, trustees, faculty, IR, finance and business affairs, and students themselves View student engagement results as an opportunity to collaborate with other units to address campus concerns

References Kinzie, Jillian and Sarah Hurtado, Using NSSE Data in Student Affairs, webinar recorded December 1, 2016. http://nsse.indiana.edu/webinars/archives.cfm?webArchiveFlag=yes&show year=2016&grouping= NSSE Data User’s Guide, http://nsse.indiana.edu/html/data_users_guide.cfm